Imagine taking a quick, fun online quiz to test your memory or check your IQ. At the very end, the website asks for a tiny payment - just 50 cents - to see your results. It seems harmless. But a few weeks later, you look at your bank statement and discover a mystery charge for $30.
You have just fallen victim to a highly organized digital trap.
This hidden subscription trick is happening right now through a website called MyIQ.com, along with several of its copycat sites. Here is a simple breakdown of how this trap works, why it looks so believable, and exactly what you need to do to get your money back.
The Bait: A Tiny, Harmless Fee
The trick starts by making you feel like you are dealing with a real, scientific company. You might see an article online praising their quizzes as a great way to understand your brain. You take the test, answering questions for a few minutes.
Because you have already spent time taking the quiz, you really want to see your score. When the screen pops up asking for just $0.50 or $0.99 to reveal your results, most people pay it without a second thought. The website makes it incredibly easy to pay, letting you use Apple Pay, PayPal, or a credit card in just one click.
The Switch: The Hidden $30 Monthly Charge
What the website hides in the fine print is that your 50-cent payment is actually a "trial." By paying that tiny amount, you have unknowingly handed over your payment information.
About a week later, the company quietly starts charging you a monthly fee, usually around $29.99. On your bank statement, this might show up as "MyIQ" "MYIQ.COM/US NEW YORK US" or even a charge from "MYIQ.com EU St. Julians" in Malta. Many people don't notice these charges until hundreds of dollars have been drained from their accounts.
The Cover-Up: Fake News and Phony Science
You might wonder why this company hasn't been shut down. The operators behind MyIQ spend a lot of time and money writing fake news articles and press releases. They place these articles in well-known online magazines to make themselves look like a respected health company.
They even use a fake spokesperson - often named "Sarah Meyer" - who claims their tests are life-changing. Because these fake, positive articles show up first when you search for the company online, the real warnings from scammed customers get buried.
The Runaround: Why Customer Service Won't Help
When people finally notice the $30 charge, they usually email the company's customer service team. This is where the second part of the trick begins.
The customer service representatives are trained to exhaust you. They will send polite emails claiming they "cannot find your account." They will ask you to provide the first and last numbers of your credit card to help them search. Even if you provide proof of your payment, they will often continue to play dumb. Their goal is to frustrate you so much that you simply give up and let them keep your money.
How to Fight Back and Get a Refund
If you politely ask for a refund, you will likely get nowhere. To get your money back, you have to show them that you mean business. Here are the three steps that actually work:
1. Use the Magic Word: "Chargeback" Do not ask for a refund; demand it. Send an email to [email protected] and [email protected]. Tell them you did not agree to a monthly subscription. State clearly that if you do not receive a full refund and a cancellation confirmation within 24 hours, you will call your bank to file a "fraudulent chargeback." Credit card companies heavily fine businesses that get too many chargebacks. The moment you threaten this, their system will often flag your email, cancel your account, and refund your money immediately to avoid getting in trouble with the banks.
2. Leave a 1-Star Review on Trustpilot The company relies on looking good on the internet. Go to the review website Trustpilot.com and leave a 1-star review for MyIQ. Use words like "Scam," "Hidden Fees," and "Fraud." The company watches these reviews closely. They will often reply to your review quickly, offering to fix the problem if you email them. When you email them, tell them the bad review stays up until your money is back in your bank account.
3. Go Straight to Your Bank or PayPal If you paid through PayPal, do not just file a standard dispute, as PayPal might reject it by saying you "authorized" the first 50 cents. Instead, go into your PayPal settings, find your "Automatic Payments," and cancel the agreement yourself. Then, call PayPal on the phone and explain the hidden subscription trick.
If you used a standard bank card, call your bank's fraud department. Tell them you were tricked by a "hidden subscription scam" and ask them to block the merchant from ever charging you again.
The Bottom Line: Never trust a website that asks for a tiny fee to release a test score. But if you do get caught, remember that you have the power to stop it. Be firm, contact your bank, and demand your money back.
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